Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is messy, yet decent. Although it's weakened by distracting storylines, the core premise of capturing beasts is enjoyable. Fittingly, Redmayne is more comfortable around animals than humans, which is heartfelt and vulnerable. Plus, Fogler and Sudol are lovable outsiders of their own. Unfortunately, whenever Fantastic Beasts visits plotlines outside these main protagonists, the film suffers. Grindelwald, politics, and Ezra Miller just aren't as fun. Also, those ancillary threads don't gel with the small adventures of creature hunting. Clearly, Fantastic Beasts had dual intentions, and because of that, the film is diluted.
Meanwhile, the technicals of Fantastic Beasts are solid. Just the editing is questionable due to its stumbling momentum. Besides that, however, the craft is proficient. The cinematography uses engaging movement, the sound is complex, and the effects are comprehensive. Furthermore, the music incorporates the iconic Potterverse tune and some era-appropriate melodies. Yet, it's the production design that stands out for cohesively blending fantasy with period piece. Both elements synergize to create immersion. Overall, Fantastic Beasts is a fun movie that's held back by superfluous narratives. It's satisfactory, but would've been better as its own thing.
Writing: 6/10
Direction: 6/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Acting: 7/10
Editing: 6/10
Sound: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10
Production Design: 8/10
Casting: 7/10
Effects: 7/10
Overall Score: 6.8/10
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